80 E-days Around the World

By Daniele Pagani

23.09.2016

Many people say that electric cars are the future for the transportation sector, but, at the moment, there is a major issue to be solved: the driving range. Besides some outliers like Tesla, most of the electric vehicle now on the market have a relatively limited range (approximately 150 km), which is a major barrier for potential buyers.

Although many statistics show that the driving cycle of an average person is around 50 km per day, people still feel not safe in having a limited range. Most of modern combustion engine vehicles can run 500 km or more with one single tank and, although the majority of users would use only a fraction of this range, they still perceive it as an essential requirement for their car.

Battery technology will evolve in the following years, as it did the combustion engine industry, but meanwhile, the only solution is to increase the amount of charging stations available. Although the number has grown in the recent years, the amount of charging stations for electric vehicle (EVs) is still negligible, compared to the number of the conventional filling stations.

To prove that, the 80edays race was organized: the competition was organized with the purpose of replicating the trip that Rafael de Mestre did in 2012, when he drove around the world in 127 days in an electric car, beating all the previous records.

The MODULO electric bus arriving in Barcelona

The 80edays started on June 16 th from the Arc del Triomf, in Barcelona, and ended in the same place on the 12 th of September, beating all the previous records. Participants were from all over the world and were divided in 11 teams. Together they traveled across Europe, North America and Asia only using electric power, for a total of 289'662 km. The vehicles involved were 8 Tesla Model S, one Tesla Roadster, one DENZA and an electric bus from the MODULO company. With this race, they showed that electric vehicle can be on any terrain, and in any part of the world.

To help the grow of the EV infrastructure, 48 sockets were installed on the route, covering more than 12'000 km. All the charging spots encountered were registered in a database, which can be found here.

A second edition of the competition will take place in 2020, when even more structure will be taken into the competition: five categories will be included, among which converted vehicles and cars equipped with the autopilot system. More information can be found here.

Team Czech Republic 2 arriving in Barcelona

Achievements of the EV Races

Hjalte Tin and Nina
Tin Rasmussen (DK)

Zerotracer.com Team

Rafael de Mestre

80edays

25.06.2010:Began the first trip around the world with a self-made electric NIssan. 30'000 km traveled in 310 without any support car

16. 08. 2010: Several drivers drove with self-made electric cars around the world (25'000 km) in 80 days (+126 days for overseas transport)

11.05.2012: First around the world race with two starndard 100% electric cars (28'282 km in 127 days). First person to do the circumnavigation in an electric vehicle being along in the car

16.06.2016: First around the world race with 10 electric cars and one bus. First and only electric bus to cross North America